Engaging drama has strong performances but lacks emotional depth
THE story revolves around a free-spirited Rajasthani girl named Mimi, who aspires to be an actress.
Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is offered a large sum of money by an American couple to become a surrogate mother. After becoming pregnant, Mimi is shocked to learn the couple no longer wants the baby and this subsequently complicates her life further.
Apart from the basic
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Sai Tamhankar, Evelyn Edwards, Aidan Whytock, Supriya Pathak Director: Laxman Utekar
concept of surrogacy, there is little in common between this Hindi language comedy-drama and the emotional Marathi original.
The engaging film starts off strongly and then gradually loses steam as it soon becomes predictable. What keeps audiences connected to the story is a career-best performance from actress Kriti Sanon in the title role. She goes through a rainbow of emotions and has impressive screen presence.
There is also a strong supporting cast headed by the ever-reliable Pankaj Tripathi. The talented cast take what is a watereddown version of the original and offer memorable moments, which range from the hilarious to deeply emotional.
The other thing that works in favour of Mimi is a strong soundtrack delivered by AR Rahman, which includes blockbuster song Param Sundari. Despite having plenty of entertaining moments, what prevents the film from reaching its undeniable potential is the lack of emotional depth and the missed opportunity to properly explore the “womb for hire” business that isn’t often spoken about. That doesn’t stop Mimi from being one of the better Indian movies that have been released in 2021.
Those who want to experience the emotional depth the subject of surrogacy has to offer should find the original Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy.